Air-propelled extracting machine for laundry



C. O. RASMUSSEN AIR PROPELLED EXTRACTING MACHINE FOR LAUNDRY Filed April 27, 1942 Nov. 16, 1948.

2 sheets-sheet 1 Zz2/ 0917/ Z01 0.182 6.222 a 880112 Nov. 16, 1948. c. o. RASMUSSEN 2,453,727

AIR RROPELLED EXTRACTING MACHINE FOR LAUNDRY Filed April 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venior c. o. nnsmusso/v fl l'l'orn ey.

Patented Nov. 16, 19 48 AIR-PROPELLED nx'rnac'rmo MACHINE roa LAUNDRY Christian Oskar Rasmussen, Copenhagen, Denmark; vested in the Attorney General of the United States Application April 27, 1942, Serial No. 440,704 In Denmark June 4, 1941 3 Claims. 01. 21MB) 1 The invention deals with a laundering machine with a cylindrical bell or casing which is rotatable around a vertical axis and a removable centrifugal drum, which may be connected to a winged wheel, which may be driven by an air current produced in the upper part of the casing preferably by a fan situated in the liji of the same the wings of which are situated within the winged wheel of the drum. In the known laundry machines of this kind the driven winged wheel is mounted so that it can freely rotate on the shaft of the fan directly above the driven winged wheel and as the fan is mountedin the lid of the casing the driven winged wheel will be removed every time the lid is taken off. When the lid is placed in position on the casing, a plate on the underside of the driven winged wheel, will have to catch and clamp on to the upper edge ofthe centrifugal drum whereby a conection between the drum and the driven'winged wheel will be brought about in such a manner that these parts during the rotation of the laundering clothes will rotate as a whole unit supported by a pin in the bottom of the casing and the driven winged wheel's bearing on the shaft of the fan. It is a serious drawback in these machines that the driven winged wheel with its lower plate has to catch and clamp upon the centrifuge drum simultaneously with the putting on of the lid, because during the placingof the wet clothes in the empty drum, which is only supported by the said pin in the bottom of the casing, the drum will easily be tilted so that it is difficult to obtain connection with the plate of the driven winged wheel. The connection of said plate and wheel is different because the drum :cannot be governed .or guided as the lid below is already partly put on and will 'prevent admission to the interior of the bell. v The purpose of the present invention is to remove this drawback. This is done by providing a removable cover for the top open end of a loosely encased rotary drum in association with propelled drumis rotatably mounted, in association with a braking device automatically operable by the removal of said cover for preventing rotation of the drum. This.' arrangement is a safety feature which prevents accidents resulting from the removal of the container cover while the drum is in motion.

The centrifugal drum' may preferably be :Iournalled in a bearing suspended in gimbals, which bearing by means of several springs disposed in a circular ring belowthe bearing and extending between a fixed stationary Part and an extension of the casing of the bearing, is maintained in a vertical position, the number and size of the springs being adjusted in such a manner that there is attained a suitable effect serving to counteract the lateral oscillation of the rotating drum. The springs must on the one hand he so stiff that they prevent any too large lateral oscillations of the drum, while on the other hand they must be so soft that only a minimum of vibrations from means disposed below the drum for yieldingly supthe rotation of the drum will be transmitted to the surroundings.

The drawing shows a few constructions of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a vertical section of a laundering machine with only the laundering bell inserted;

Fig. 2 the same with only the centrifugal drum inserted;

Fig. 2A is a sectional plan view taken along line 2A2A in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 a vertical section through another laundering machine which can also be used for washing of household utensils, and which has a special suspension of the centrifugal drum allowing large lateral oscillations of the latter during the run;

Fig. 3A is an isometric detail view showing certain portions of the machine shown in Fig. 3, when the machine is employed as a centrifuge.

On the drawing, i is the casing of the laundering machine, 2 the cover of the same and 3 a cylindrical part of a laundering bell, which part is firmly disposed in the casing I with its lower edge raised some distance above the bottom of the easing.

In the machine the top part 4 of the laundering bell can be freely removed, when the cover 2 has been opened. Part 4 comprises upper frusto-conical :plate 21, lower plate 28, intermediate vane elements i9, flange plate 29, spacing bolts 69, and perforated plate 20, all of said elements being formed in one piece removably mounted within the casing I and adapted to function in a manner which will hereinafter be described in detail. When the cover 2 is placed into position, this The interior of the laundering bell is filled with clothes and washing water, and during operation the winged wheel b exerts-a suction by way of the central hole or muzzle 2i in the plate 28, and thereby draws the air from the interior of the bell, and this air is flung out between the wings it of part i, and is then forced downwardly through the space between the casing i and the part 3, and then below the lower edge of the latter. When the apparatus ls employed as a laundering machine the wings it remain stationary; however, when used as a centrifuge in a manner hereinafter described, the wings is will be driven lby the air currents produced by wheel a. The air returns through the interior of the bell, and bubbles u through the washing water and the clothes, in order to promote the launderin process. In order to prevent foam and water jets from hitting the winged wheel 6 which easily might become injured thereby, a perforated plate is disposed :below and attached to the plate 28, said plate 20 serving to reflect any foam and squirts of water. Plate 20 is attached to the plate 28 by means of spacing bolts 69. Wheel 5 is preferably driven by a motor 5a, which in turn is supported within cover 2.

The removable part 8 rests by means of a couple of clips 23 on an internal bead 24 in the wall of the casing. When the laundering process has been finished, the water is emptied from the casing by way of the cock I at the bottom of the latter, and the cover 2, as well as the part 4 and attached vanes H! are removed, in such a manner that the laundered clothes can be removed from the interior of the machine.

Then the machine is arranged for centrifugal treatment of the clothes, and for this purpose the part 3 is removed, and a holder 26 in Fig. 2 is then inserted in a stationary bush at the center of the bottom 38 of the casing. The holder 26 has, at the bottom, a pin bearing for supporting the lower pointed end 80 of a shaft 88, and at the top the holder has an enlarged portion 88 located about midway between the upper and lower ends of'the shaft 38. In the enlarged portion 36, radially extending tensile springs 22 are provided. One end of each of said springs is secured to ortion 38 while the other end of each of said springs is attached to a sleeve 84 fixed on the shaft 88. The shaft supports, at

- the top, a ball-bearing 44, which in turn supports a centrifugal drum 8. The drum on the top part of the bearing 44 can rotate relative to the shaft. The lower part of shaft 38 is stationary while the upper part is free to oscillate laterally from the position shown, within certain limits and subject to the control of the springs 22. I

The centrifugal drum 8, without its cover, is placed onto the upper rotary part of the shaft 38, and then the clothes to be treated by centrifugal treatment are deposited, and finally the part 4 and associated vanes l8 and perforated plate 20 are secured in position on the top of the drum by means of a winged nut 48 and bOltS 10.

During the centrifugal treatment, the winged wheel 5 will suck air up through the hole or muzzle 2i, and will force it outwardly between the vanes l9, and thus the latter, which is firmly connected to the centrifugal drum 8, will be caused to rotate, and the drum will gradually reach such a high rotary velocity as is needed in order to attain an effective extraction of the water. For this purpose the drum is fitted with holes 3'! in the side and bottom.

The centrifugal drum may laterally oscillate freely within certain limits, but the springs 22 will nevertheless tend to produce a stable running. During the centrifugal motion,' the shaft as will perform a rotary motion which, however, is kept within certain limits by means of the springs 22. Especial care should here be taken, in order that the, winged wheel 5 and vanes it may not hit each other, and for this reason a circular aperture 3! in the upper end plate to of the enlarged portion 38 forms an absolute limit for the lateral oscillation of the shaft 38 to thereby prevent such engagement. The lateral oscillations of the centrifugal drum about ball bearing to are limited by a circular hole 32 in the bottom of the centrifugal drum.

The air having passed out through the winged wheel l9, will then pass between the flange 29 and the plate 20 into the space below the plate 28 and up again through the hole 2 l The upper annular plate 21, disposed on top of vanes l9,

serves to guide the air which has been forced outwardly from winged wheel 5.

g The central openings of the said plates 21 and 28 should be sufficiently large, in such a manner that free access may be had for placing into position and removing the winged nut 48.

The laundering machine shown in Fig. 3 has a centrifugal drum 8a freely rotatable about a shaft pin 33, said pin being supported in a bearing 61 suspended in a gimbal designated by reference characters 35, 41, 42 and 45. By means of pins 35, the casing of this bearing is suspended rotatably in ring 4|, which ring is rotatably suspended in outer ring 45 by means of pins 42 disposed at right angles to the pins 35. Ring 45 is clamped to a circular intermediate bottom 83 by means of a lower flange 46, said bottom 88 merging into a conical supporting part 84, resting directly on the bottom 38 of the receptacle and along the periphery of the latter. The casing of the bearing 81 has a downwardly directed extension 88 provided with a flange 43, which flange is engaged by one end of a number of outwardly diverging helical springs 68, while the other ends are attached to an angular member 62 on the inner face of the supporting member 64, only one spring being shown in Figure 3. The number and stiffness of these springs are adjusted in such a manner that they will exert a suitable stabilizing effect on the centrifugal drum 8a-when the latter, during the operation, has a tendency to deviate sideways.

Above part to and the drum 8a., there is disposed an easily removable plate 54 forming a portion of cover 4a and corresponding to the plate 28 in Figs. 1 and 2. Plate 54 is provided with an annular sealing body 53 which fits tightly upon the upper rims of members 3a and 8a to form aseal. The plate 54 supports vanes I811; and the central aperture 2la. is surrounded by an upwardly directed spherically shaped plate portion above which the driving winged wheel 5 is disposed. In Fig. 3, the laundering machine is shown with the drum 8a and the bell part in inserted, but when the laundering machine is to .be used for washing clothes, the drum to and the supporting member 64 with bearings 61 are removed. Further a wire net 55, disposed below the supporting part 64, is removed, the said net being circular and adapted to be folded together about a diameter. I Then the other parts of the-laundering machine are placed into position as shown on the drawing, and the cover 2a is closed. The lower bent edge 56 of the supporting part 84 as well as the. internal bead 24 in the wall of the casing I, on which the brackets Bl are resting, are discontinued for considerable lengths, in such a manner that they can pass free of each other, when the supporting part is raised from or lowered down into the receptacle. Finally, the machine is filled with water, until the latter entirely covers the clothes disposed in the bell part. Owing to the action of the fan, the air will be sucked up through the laundering bell in and through the muzzle or opening 2la in the plate 54, while any foam following along will be cut into pieces by a perforated reflection plate 58 corresponding to the plate 20. The air which is sucked up by way of the muzzle lid, is forced .by means of a winged wheel 5b into the space surrounding the laundering bell, after 7 move the free end of the spring 6| downward,

which the air once more enters the interior of the laundering bell, at the bottom edge of the same. I

According to the invention, the laundering machine may also be used as a dish-washing machine, i. e. for cleaning of plates and dishes, outlery and other household utensils. The above mentioned wire netting 55, which also may be shaped as a perforated bottom is now again placed into the part 3a, in such a manner that the wire net will be resting on the inwardly bent edge 51 of thepart 3a. Plates and dishes, etc., are placed onto the wire net, and the receptacle is filled with water, into which soda or some other cleaning powder may be poured, after which the machine is started, in exactly the same manner as v described above.

When the laundered clothes are to be dried in the machine, the water is emptied from the receptacle by means of the cock 1, and the part 3a is removed, while the supporting part 64 and the drum 8a are placed into position in the receptacle, after which theplate 54 is placed onto the drum 8a, and the cover 2a is closed and clamped into position by means of special clamping devices 59 (Fig. 3A).

The fan or the winged wheel 5b sucks air up through the interior of the drum 8a, and fiings the air outwardly and downwardly through the space 50 and then between vanes l9a, and thus the centrifugal drum 8a is caused to rotate. The air continues downwardly through the space between the, wall of the casing la and the drum ta, after which the air once more enters into the interior of the drum, by way of holes 31 in the bottom of the latter.

The plate 54is integral with vanes l9a, and the top edges of the latter support a plate 21a. A smooth braking surface 49 is provided on the upper side of plate 121a, and a number of brak-' ing blocks 5!, moved by outside levers 60, can be pressed resiliently against said surface. Each braking block 5| is disposed at the end of a heavy plate spring 6|, the other end of which is attached to the inner face of the cover 2a, and the plate spring runs mainly tangentially to the braking surface 49. Each lever 60 has an inner pin 62 pressing against the plate spring 6i concerned, and when the lever 60 is raised, fromin such a manner. that the braking block II will be pressed towards the braking surface 49, in

'order to brake the drum to. In the laundering machine shown in Fig. 3; the levers III are formed from bent bars which cooperate with the corresponding clamping mechanism 59 to hold the latter in clamping'position when the parts are in the position shown in the right-hand portion of this figure. (Also see Fig. 3A.)

Particular attention is called to the fact that the bell to is removed from the assembly when the device is employed as a centrifuge. When the bell 3a is inserted as shown in Fig. 3 the drum 8a and cover 4a remain stationary during a laundering operation, whereas when the bell is removed as shown in Fig. 3A, the drum and cover rotate and then the device operates as a centrifuge.

Thus the advantage is attained that the mechanisms 59 cannot be opened, and the cover removed, without the levers 60 having first been raised into the position shown to the left in Fig. 3; and one will thus be forced to stop the drum, before the cover 2 is removed. Thus a simple safety device is attained against accidents likely to occur if the machine is opened, before-the drum is stopped.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A laundering machine having in combination a casing provided with an open end and a closed end; a cover removably mounted on said casing; vane means rotatably mounted within the cover for causing air current flow within said casing when said vane means are rotated; a rotatable drum in said casing; second vane means seated on the end of said drum adjacent said cover and said first vane means; securing means for connecting said second vane means and said drum to each other; means for mounting said drum and second vanemeans for movement relative to said first vane means in a direction transversely of the axis of rotation of the drum, said drum mounting means including pivot means axially positioned within said casing, and a shaft pivotally supported by said pivot means, rotatably supporting said drum; and brake means jointlycarried by said second vane means and said cover for braking the rotation of said second vane means and associated drum.

2. Laundering apparatus comprising a container and a cover for said container thereby forming a closed casing. a rotatable drum within said container, the inner wall surface of said container being disposed in spaced relation to the outer wall surface of said drum. one end of said drum having an axially disposed inlet opening therein, vane means surrounding said opening and carried by the drum, air propulsion'means for cooperating with said vane means to rotate thea rears? 7 a position to release said securing means and to retard the rotation of said drum.

3. Laundering apparatus comprising a container and a cover for said container thereby forming a. closed casing, a rotatable drum within said container, the inner wall surface of said container being disposed in spaced relation to the outer Wall surface of said drum, one end of said drum having an axially disposed inlet opening therein, vane means surrounding said opening and carried by said drum, air propulsion means for cooperating with said vane means to rotate said drum, means carried by said casing for driving said air propulsion means, means for mounting said drum and associated vane means for universal bodily movement relative to said propulsion means and about a point disposed along said axis exteriorly of the drum, means for yieldingly resisting said universal movement, means for releasably securing said cover upon said container, means for retarding the rotation 01 said drum, and means operable in one position to lock said cover securing means, and operable in another position to release said securing means and to retard the rotation oi said drum.

CHRISTIAN OBKAR RASMUBBEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTB Number Name Date 309,826 Dolph et a1 Dec. 30, 1884 1,-id7fl60 Churchill et al Mar. 6, 1923 1,781,984 Krantz Nov. 18, 1930 1,899,005 Barker Feb. 28, 1933 1,913,600 Krauss June 13, 1933 1,968,692 Krauss July 31, 1934 2,091,536 Van Impe Aug. 31, 193'? 2,106,609 Krauss Jan. 25, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 784,048 France July 20, 1935 

